I am feeling depressed
Anyone can feel depressed. More and more people are starting to talk openly about these feelings, so you are not alone.
Symptoms of depression often include: low mood, lack of energy or motivation.
For many of us these feelings come and go and are a response to a bad day or an event in our lives. But for others they can become more serious and start to disrupt our life, causing us to avoid friends and social occasions or to stop going to work, harming our relationships, and making us believe there is no hope of change or improvement. This is when it can be helpful to talk about it with a trusted friend, family member or work colleague.
If the feelings continue, it’s often a good idea to talk it over with your GP or reach out to a service such as Mindline Somerset, who can offer you a safe space to share your feelings and let you know the support you can access.
If you are struggling with stress, anxiety or depression please get in touch with Mindline Somerset for advice and support. Call locally on 01823 276892 or freephone 0800 138 1692.
If you are in crisis and need immediate support please contact 999.
How to get help
These include workbooks on anxiety, depression, low mood, post-natal depression, social anxiety, stress, bereavement and post-natal depression.
You can also refer yourself for support from NHS Talking Therapies, you can self-refer online here.
Talking Therapies offers many different types of help, including an online self-help platform, online webinars, face to face psychoeducation courses and individual, short-term therapy.
I have a long-term health condition affecting my mood
Long-Term Health Conditions (LTCs) include diabetes, heart failure and respiratory problems – but can describe any physical health condition that continues over time. These conditions can also have an impact on our mental health and psychological and emotional issues often develop alongside the physical issues, making life more difficult if you’re living with such a condition.
How Open Mental Health can help
Worry, anxiety and low mood can make it difficult to attend appointments and persevere with regular medication and treatment. Such feelings and concerns can also harm relationships with your loved ones.
These issues can be helped by psychological therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy. It can help you come to terms with stages such as diagnosis, living with treatment and medication, and dealing with loss of mobility and other aspects of your former life. Research shows that people who have psychological therapy to help with their LTC get better results overall: improving or managing their condition better, developing a stronger identity independent of their condition, and improving relationships with family and friends.
A great place to start thinking about managing your condition better is the NHS Selfcare Toolkit.
NHS Talking Therapies: Somerset IAPT Service offers psychological interventions especially for those with LTCs. You can speak to Mindline Somerset, your GP or nurse who can refer you, or you can self-refer online here.